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Thursday, July 9

TBT - Celestial Picture (by Bucilla)

This week's TBT is "Celestial Picture" by Bucilla.

I remember picking this kit up from Michaels back when I was in high school (around 1993?), so it was probably 10 years old when I finished it. I really liked the astrological theme and how pretty it was in the picture, but as I had a time with actually finishing it off. Several factors conspired:
1. I lost the original floss, so I had to get new floss (I think in this kit, they actually used DMC numbers, so it could have been much worse!);
2. I had started stitching more and more on non-aida fabrics (I just find it unbearably stiff and difficult to "feel" my way around the underside);
and 3. The backstitching. Sweet baby octopus, the backstitching was killing me.

This is one of the designs I've seen most often out in "the wild." I even happened up on it in the bedroom belonging to a sister of a guy I used to date (and she was not really a stitcher at all).

The model was finished as a pillow, if I recall correctly, and that always seemed like something to do with the piece, but I've never really gotten around to deciding what to do with this piece. It just lives in the closet in a portfolio book.

I think the one "wild" cross stitch that most shocked me was when I was in Montreal and I saw someone in a hotel lobby stitching on Ferret Knot! I don't see them terribly often, and not as much as I used to, that's for sure.

I know, but I can't feel guilty. I once had a stitcher (and her family) over, and it was remarked up on that no one could tell I was a stitcher because nothing was displayed. At least I have a few things now that I've gotten some stuff framed. I have other pieces I would probably rather display, anyway :)

I remember having this kit at one time. I passed it on unopened either by donation or gift when I decided I didn't want to stitch it. Yours is lovely. I don't see much cross stitch displayed. Many of the women I stitch with do both needlepoint and cross stitch. I see much more needlepoint finished and displayed. Currently I have only three pieces finished and displayed but this does not include Christmas ornaments. I have given many more than that as gifts. I still have a many completed projects stored safely awaiting finishing. I just would rather stitch than do the finishing work. But I remember when the TWBB was active how many finishes we celebrated. Those pieces must be hanging somewhere.

I finally *finally* got Storyteller hanging on a wall! I have a lot of art work, but don't hang much of my stitching, but I have been looking at finishing, and I"m thinking of finishing a lot of my holiday stuff as flat-folds, so I can display those.